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Voykit pocket guide · France
Bordeaux
Give Bordeaux 2–3 nights: one full day for the old town and riverfront, one for wine, and a half-day for Saint-Émilion or Arcachon.
Bordeaux is France's fifth-largest city, on the Garonne in the Gironde. Its 18th-century riverfront and old town are a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the surrounding vineyards are the reason many people come. The centre is compact and walkable; most trips use it as a 2–3 night base with one wine day.
- Country
- France
- Best months
- May–Jun, Sep–Oct
- Avoid
- Jul–Aug (hot, busy), Nov–Feb (wet, grey)
- Stay
- 2–3 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- EUR
- Money
- Currency is the euro (EUR, €). Contactless cards work in most shops, cafés and restaurants.
- Daily spend
- Budget €60–90 excl. bed · Mid €110–170 excl. bed · High €200+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Orange, SFR, Bouygues Télécom and Free sell prepaid SIMs in their shops and at tabacs; ID is required to register.
- Emergency
- European emergency number 112 · Ambulance (SAMU) 15 · Police 17 · Fire 18
- Plugs
- Types C, E · 230 V · 50 Hz · Round two-pin plugs; type E sockets have an earth pin sticking out, so Schuko (type F) plugs need a C/E hybrid or an adapter.
- Tipping
- Café or bar: Leave small change, €0.20–1.; Restaurant: Service is included; leave 5–10% in cash for good service.; Taxi: Round up to the next euro or two.; Hotel porter or housekeeping: €1–2 per bag or per night.; Tour guide: €5–10 per person for a half day, more for private guides.
- Water
- Tap water is safe everywhere unless signed otherwise. Restaurants must serve a free carafe of tap water on request.
- Toilets
- Paris has free automatic public toilets (sanisettes); elsewhere use cafés (buy a coffee), museums and stations, where some charge €0.50–1.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee at a café counter | €1.50–3 |
| Lunch menu (plat du jour) | €14–20 |
| Glass of Bordeaux wine | €5–9 |
| Dinner, mid-range, per person | €25–40 |
| Tram or bus single ticket | €1.80 (check) |
| Museum entry | €5–14 |
| eSIM or data SIM, about a week | €10–20 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- BOD · Bordeaux-Mérignac
- 15 km west of the centre; Tram F to the city, about 35 min9.3 mi west of the centre; Tram F to the city, about 35 min
Typical fares
- BOD airport → centre, Tram F
- €1.80, about 35 min (check)
- TBM day pass
- €5.50 (check)
- TGV Bordeaux → Paris Montparnasse
- about 2 h 10 min, from about €40 if booked early (check)
Get around
The centre is walkable and largely pedestrianised. Trams and buses (TBM) cover the rest: single ticket €1.80, ten tickets €15.70, day pass €5.50 (2026 estimate). Tram C links Gare Saint-Jean to the centre. The Batcub river bus is part of the same network.
See and do
Known for
- UNESCO-listed Port of the Moon riverfront
- Place de la Bourse and the Water Mirror
- Wine and the Cité du Vin
- Saint-Émilion day trips
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Saint-Émilion | TER train from Gare Saint-Jean, about 35–45 min, then walk uphill | About 1 h |
| Arcachon and the Dune du Pilat | TER train to Arcachon, about 50 min, then bus 1 to the dune | 1.5–2 h |
| Médoc châteaux | Train to Margaux or Pauillac, then taxi or bike between estates | 1–1.5 h |
| Soulac-sur-Mer | TER train via Pointe de Grave, about 2 h | About 2 h |
Sleep
- Saint-Pierre / old town
- Pedestrian lanes, restaurants and riverfront on foot; noisier at night.
- Chartrons
- Quiet riverbank district north of the centre, near the Cité du Vin; good for longer stays.
- Gare Saint-Jean
- Cheapest beds and direct trams and trains; 20–25 min walk from the sights.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello / Good day | Bonjourbon-ZHOOR |
| Thank you | Mercimair-SEE |
| Please | S'il vous plaîtseel voo PLEH |
| How much is it? | C'est combien ?say kom-BYEN |
| The bill, please | L'addition, s'il vous plaîtla-dee-SYON seel voo PLEH |
| Where is the tram stop? | Où est l'arrêt de tram ?oo ay la-REH duh tram |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Say 'bonjour madame/monsieur' on entering any shop, bus or office; avoid: Asking a question before saying bonjour — it is read as rude
- Cheek kisses (la bise): Follow the other person's lead; one to four kisses depending on region; avoid: Initiating la bise with strangers or in business
- Addressing people: Use 'vous' and titles until invited otherwise; avoid: First names and 'tu' with older people or staff
- Restaurants: Wait to be seated in restaurants; call the waiter 'monsieur' or 'madame'; avoid: 'Garçon', snapping fingers, asking for the bill before you are finished
- Conversation: Debate is a pleasure; food, politics and philosophy are fair game; avoid: Asking about salary or religion; loud voices on trains
- Dinner at a home: Bring flowers (not chrysanthemums), chocolates or a good bottle; arrive 10–15 minutes late; avoid: Cutting the tip off a cheese wedge or asking for ketchup
- Dress: Smart-casual in cities; covered shoulders in churches; avoid: Beachwear in town centres
Scams and watch-outs
- Pickpockets work the tram lines and around Gare Saint-Jean; keep bags zipped in front.
- Some bars near Place de la Victoire post no prices: ask the total before ordering.
- Summer afternoons hit 30 °C+ with little shade on the quays; plan indoor stops.
- The A630 beltway jams at rush hour; don't plan to drive into the centre.
Bordeaux is generally safe by day and busy at night. The real risks are pickpockets on trams and at Gare Saint-Jean, and bars without posted prices near Place de la Victoire: ask before you sit.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Bordeaux yet. Suggested stay: 2–3 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- UNESCO-listed Port of the Moon riverfront
- Place de la Bourse and the Water Mirror
- Wine and the Cité du Vin
- Saint-Émilion day trips
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Bordeaux Métropole tourist office: www.bordeaux-tourisme.com/
- Bordeaux city: www.bordeaux.fr
- Bordeaux-Mérignac Airport: www.bordeaux.aeroport.fr/en
- TBM public transport: www.infotbm.com
- Wikivoyage: Bordeaux, revision 5328023 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5328023
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Bordeaux
À cette adresse, s'il vous plaît
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
The US has a consulate in Bordeaux (check the address); most other countries: consulates in Bordeaux or embassies in Paris.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/bordeaux). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.